Apple has quietly given its hardware chief John Ternus, a much larger role inside the company. Since late last year, he has overseen Apple’s design teams, a group that controls how Apple’s products look and feel. The move shows that Tim Cook is preparing Ternus for bigger leadership, including the chance to become Apple’s next CEO.
Bloomberg reports that Cook placed Ternus in charge of Apple’s design organization in the final months of 2025. This change expanded Ternus’ job beyond hardware engineering and put him at the center of Apple’s creative direction. Even though the design teams still show up as reporting to Cook on paper, Ternus now guides design strategy at the executive level.
John Ternus’ new role inside Apple
Ternus now acts as the executive sponsor for all design at Apple. That means he represents the design teams in leadership meetings and connects designers with the rest of Apple’s top management. He also helps guide long term design plans while working closely with the teams that shape Apple’s hardware and software interfaces.
Before this shift, Jeff Williams handled design after Jony Ive left Apple. Williams retired in 2025, which created a gap at the top of the design group. Cook first took that responsibility, but he soon passed it to Ternus. That handoff matters because Apple has always trusted design only to its most senior leaders.
Bloomberg also says Cook wants Ternus to learn more about how Apple runs day to day. That includes areas beyond hardware, such as operations and internal decision-making. Apple has also put Ternus in front of the public more often, which signals that the company wants people to see him as a top leader.
Design decisions at Apple still come from group discussions. Craig Federighi and Greg Joswiak continue to shape how products look and feel. Even so, Ternus now holds more influence than any hardware chief before him. That places him in rare company alongside figures like Jony Ive, Jeff Williams, and Cook himself.
A clear path toward the CEO role
Many inside Apple see Ternus as the leading choice to replace Cook when the time comes. He is 50, which gives him room for a long run at the top. He also runs Apple’s hardware engineering team and knows the company’s supply chain in deep detail.
Some people inside Apple worry that he takes fewer risks and lacks charisma. Others point to his steady style and strong focus as strengths for a company that values precision. What matters now is that Apple has placed him in one of its most powerful roles.
By giving John Ternus control over design, Tim Cook has done more than shift responsibilities. He has made clear who stands closest to Apple’s future leadership.
